Taipei: Taiwan said Sunday it has deployed coast guard vessels in response to Chinese maritime activity in waters east of the island, calling it a violation of international law.
According to Beyond Time News, the deployment comes amid rising tensions over competing maritime claims in the region.
Taiwan Monitors Chinese Ships
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said it detected Chinese government vessels departing from Xiamen and entering waters near Taiwan’s restricted zones.
More than five patrol vessels were deployed to monitor and track the situation throughout the operation.
China Calls It a Law Enforcement Operation
Chinese state media said maritime police from Fujian and Guangdong carried out a “law enforcement operation” east of Taiwan.
Beijing said the move was in response to Japan-Philippines talks on maritime boundaries, which it called illegal.
China Conducts Patrols Near Taiwan After Japan-Philippines Maritime Boundary Talks
Taiwan Rejects Claim
Taiwan rejected China’s position, saying Beijing has no authority over waters east of the island and will continue to monitor all foreign vessel activity in the area.
Rising Regional Tensions
The incident comes after Japan and the Philippines agreed to begin talks on maritime boundary delimitation, drawing criticism from China.
The broader East and South China Sea regions continue to see frequent tensions involving multiple countries.
Pratas Island Activity Reported
Taiwan also reported Chinese vessel activity near Pratas Island in the South China Sea, involving a survey ship and a coast guard vessel operating in coordination.
China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan controls Pratas Island.
